This application claims priority to an application entitled xe2x80x9cRadiotelephone for Visual Communicationxe2x80x9d filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Jan. 10, 2000 and assigned Ser. No. 2000-915, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a radiotelephone, and in particular, to a radiotelephone capable of taking a picture of a subject and supporting a visual communication service.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a radiotelephone designed for voice communication or visual communication is classified into a bar type, a flip type and a folder type according to its external shape. The flip-type and folder-type radiotelephones are popular because they have good audio sensitivity and are advantageous for reducing the both size and weight of the main body.
A normal folder-type radiotelephone designed for voice communication includes a main body, a folder, and a hinge device for mechanically coupling the folder to the main body. The main body has a plurality of alphanumeric keys and function keys, provided as data input means, and a microphone device installed in the lower portion thereof. The folder has an earpiece, and a display unit provided as a data output means.
However, a radiotelephone designed for visual communication additionally includes a camera lens assembly mounted on the main body or the folder thereof. Therefore, if the user inadvertently drops the radiotelephone through carelessness, the camera lens assembly is apt to be damaged due to its structural fragility. This is because the camera lens assembly is typically protruding or is nakedly mounted on the radiotelephone away from the main body. The damage to the camera lens assembly usually disables the visual communication.
In the conventional radiotelephone, a lens system is usually nakedly mounted on the camera lens assembly, so that the lens system is always open to external impacts. In addition, the camera lens assembly impedes miniaturization and good external appearance of the radiotelephone.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a radiotelephone capable of visual communication, which ensures the safety of a camera lens assembly positioned on the radiotelephone.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a radiotelephone capable of visual communication, in which a camera lens assembly is mounted in a hinge device attached to the radiotelephone.
It is further another object of the present invention to provide a radiotelephone capable of visual communication, capable of protecting a camera lens assembly from the external environment.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a radiotelephone capable of visual communication, in which a rotary camera lens assembly is mounted in a hinge arm on the radiotelephone.
To achieve the above and other objects, there is provided a radiotelephone capable of visual communication, having a main body, a folder and a hinge device for rotatably coupling the folder to the main body. The main body includes first and second cylindrical side hinge arms, and the folder includes a cylindrical center hinge arm mounted between the first and second side hinge arms in a direction of a hinge axis. A rotary cylindrical lens housing is coupled to the first side hinge arm in the direction of the hinge axis. The lens housing includes a camera lens assembly and an opening through which a lens of the camera lens assembly is exposed to the outside. A flexible printed circuit board (PCB) electrically connects the camera lens assembly to the main body.
The radiotelephone includes locking means mounted on the rotary cylindrical lens housing for locking the lens housing with respect to the main body, and also includes an angle adjusting knob for adjusting an angle of the lens, mounted on the rotary cylindrical lens housing. Furthermore, the radiotelephone includes an ear-microphone jack mounted in the second side hinge arm, and also includes restriction means for restricting rotation of the rotary lens housing. Preferably, the restriction means includes a stopper mounted on an inner wall of the first side hinge arm.